From Dom Guéranger's The Liturgical Year.
St. Hilarion was one of the first confessors, if not the very first, to be honoured in the east with a public cultus like the martyrs. In the west, the whiterobed army led by Ursula adds to the glory of the holy monk who has the first honours of this day.
On October 21, 451, Cologne was made equal to the most illustrious cities by a spiritual glory. Criticism, and there is no lack of it, may dispute the circumstances which brought together the legion of virgins; but the fact itself, that eleven thousand chosen souls were martyred by the Huns in recompense for their fidelity, is now acknowledged by true science. From the earth where so many noble victims lay concealed, they have more than once been brought to light by multitudes, bearing about them evidence of the veneration of those who had buried them; for instance, by a happy inspiration, the arrow that had set free the blessed soul, would be left, as a token of victory, fixed in the breast or forehead of the martyr.
St. Angela of Merici confided to the patronage of the glorious phalanx her spiritual daughters, and the numberless children whom they will continue till the end of time to educate in the fear of the Lord. The grave Sorbonne dedicated its church to the holy virgins as well as to the Mother of God; and here, as in the universities of Coimbra and Vienna, an annual panegyric was pronounced in praise of them. Portugal, enriched with some of their precious relics, carried their cultus into the Indies. And pious confraternities have been formed among the faithful for obtaining their assistance at the hour of death. Let us address to them these verses from a beautiful Office composed in their honour by the blessed Herman, their most devout client.
AD COMPLETORIUM
O præclaræ vos puellæ,
Nunc implete meum velle,
Et dum mortis venit hora,
Subvenite sine mora:
In tam gravi tempestate
Me præsentes defendate
A dæmonum instantia.
Nulla vestrum ibi desit,
Virgo Mater prima præsit,
Si quæ mihi fæx inhæsit,
Quæ me sua labe læsit,
Vestra prece procul fiat,
Vos præsentes hostis sciat,
Et se confusum doleat.
O ye glorious virgins,
fulfil now my desire,
and when the hour of death arrives,
hasten to my assistance:
be present at that terrible moment,
and defend me
from the assault of the demons.
Let not one of you be then absent;
come with the Virgin Mother at your head.
If any remnant of sin still cling to me
and soil me with its stain,
remove it by your prayer.
Let the foe be aware of your presence,
and bewail his own confusion.
Let us conclude with the Church's own prayer.
Prayer
Da nobis, quæsumus Domine Deus noster: sanctarum virginum et martyrum tuarum Ursulæ et sociarum ejus palmas incessabili devotione venerari; ut quas digna mente non possumus celebrare, humilibus saltem frequentemus obsequiis. Per Dominum.
Grant us, we beseech thee, O Lord our God, to venerate with continual devotion the triumphs of thy holy virgins and martyrs, Ursula and her companions; that what we cannot celebrate with worthy minds, we may at least attend with humble service. Through our Lord &c.